Fall Hiking Club Route 1
Shaw Nature Reserve has created a “Hiking Club” to showcase the transition to fall through the months of September and October. There are no organized group hikes, or expectations to come at any particular time, although certainly any group who wanted to could work that out.
Instead, they design and email a club route each week, with a trail map and several photos of what to expect and discover. Hikes can be completed at any time or even several at a time as the weeks pass.
Route 1 features the Bluestem grass, growing in thick fields along the Brush Creek Trail. The grass was thick and dewy in the early morning, soaking our shoes as we passed through the trail. The Bluestem hung over, sparkling with droplets and dusting our clothes with seed.
The morning was bright and cool still, as we climbed to the McMillian Overlook showcasing the prairies, the woodlands, and distant hills.
Butterflies weren’t even on the discovery list, but we saw several different kinds. Monarch, I’m pretty sure or maybe Viceroy…
Buckeye I think… The coloring is a little different, but the eye markings are pretty unique
… and completely stumped on this one. I can’t find anything that looks quite the same.
The trail winds back through a rocky wooded stretch, ending at Trail House for a beautiful 1.5 mile total stroll.
Rambling ... 